Amazing place - definitely worth the visit. Call ahead to book a private tour and you're be glad…read moreyou did.

If you love big cats(Panthers, Mtn Lions) down to the smaller ones(Bobcats, Serbals, Jaguarundi's)…read morethen this is MUST SEE!! It is very well run and all the volunteers are very knowledgeable about the cats and facility as a whole. The owners(Bertie and Jim) are the sweetest people you will meet and they treat you like family from the time you enter the facility. You will not be disappointed.

They have a new very young giraffe named Dorothy that came from Kansas, she is so sweet and gave my…read moredaughter all the licks!!!! This zoo is still one of our favorites, I love how close up the animals are. It is so intimate! They offer animal encounters as well. Staff will walk around with reptiles to pet. They have a small concessions stand that sells cold drinks, popcorn, pretzels & nachos. They sell bird feed sticks, goat feed, alligator feed & lettuce for Dorthy. We have memberships. Unfortunately, there is NO member line. So when there is a LONG line, yes you have to wait for anyone who is buying tickets to enter. Hoping they can change that in the near future. We absolutely loved our alligator encounter! So many baby alligators! Staff is so knowledgeable and take great care of the animals here. We learn so much from the staff. I love their enthusiasm for teaching the public about the animals. Definitely come support this amazing small zoo, you won't regret it.

Overall, a pretty average to slightly above average Zoo that you would expert in a beach area…read more The prices are similar to prices of a large zoo, which is where the minus one star comes in. $26 for an adult seems a little pricey for what you get. And of course there is an upcharge for the animal feeding experiences, but would say the money you pay is appropriate for what you get. The animals look well taken care of. The bird feeding experience was interesting, as they are pretty used to humans, and will fly up on you. It seemed like half of the zoo was under construction, which is where the other minus one star comes from. Tons of "work in progress" signs. Overall, would return in the future after they finish with the construction, and if the prices don't rise after it.

Not entirely a fan of the park itself, there just isn't much to see. Definitely time your visit so…read moreyou can watch the shows and interact with the sea lions, birds and reptiles, and dolphins or you'll be finished fairly quick, so stick around and get your moneys worth. With that being said, we actually visited so our 8 year old could swim with the dolphins for her birthday. Absolutely the most amazing experience! We lucked up and she was the only one for her time slot, so she got lots of dolphin attention. The trainer was incredibly kind and patient with her and answered all millions of her questions. So while the rest of the park is unfortunately a tourist trap, I highly recommend these programs!

Great place for a hands on experience with animals and trainers. Loved getting up close to animals…read moreyou man never see normally. My kids loved the stingray exhibit where you had the opportunity to not only touch them but also feed them ($5). The trainers did wonderful timed presentations on each animal throughout the facility. Loved hearing their names and the back story of how the animals came to the facility. The dolphin exhibit is large with a theater like stadium for shows. They offer swim with the dolphins experience for an extra charge. A concession stand and store for souvenirs also available.

This is a wonderful place for kids. The staff are always helpful and will answer any questions…read more Great place to spend the day. We have been multiple times and are never disappointed. My grandson absolutely loves the cotton top tamarin, and my granddaughter is the same about the Black and white lemurs. We always average being there 4 to 5 hours. Their just never ready to go. They are always acquiring new animals and birds, so the experience is never dull. Always something new to see The only downside is there is nowhere to purchase food. The nearest food is an Arby's in a gas station off of highway 19. So, if you're planning a full day pack a lunch, especially with young ones.

The place wasn't fully done. A few exhibits were closed. The animals were cool though. We went for…read morea field trip, I didn't really learn anything. It was a cool experience!

We visited the Gulfarium in Fort Walton Beach and absolutely loved it! There was so much to see,…read moreincluding sea turtles, stingrays, penguins, alligators, sea lions, dolphins, and many other amazing animals. One of the things my hubby and I loved the most is that the Gulfarium also serves as a rehabilitation center for marine life. Many animals are treated and released back into the ocean whenever possible, while others that could not survive in the wild are given a safe and caring home. We saw a sea turtle with two missing flippers, which was both heartbreaking and made us happy at the same time since it wouldn't stand a chance to live in the wild. We watched both the sea lion and dolphin shows, and they were great. It was so nice to see that the trainers genuinely care about the animals. The animals were rewarded with plenty of treats, attention, and affection throughout the presentations. My favorite part of the entire visit was seeing the manatees. I had only ever seen them in pictures before, and I completely fell in love. They are such gentle, peaceful, and beautiful creatures. I could have watched them all day!

Here's an updated version with your added feedback included:…read more We visited Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park in Fort Walton Beach and really enjoyed the self-guided walk through the park. We saw stingrays, dolphins, penguins, manatees, turtles, crocodiles, pelicans, snakes, lizards, frogs, and many other animals. Even though we missed the scheduled shows, there was still plenty to see and enjoy at our own pace. One of the best parts was learning that they care for many rescue animals and help rehabilitate and release them back into the ocean when possible. It was great seeing a place focused on marine animal rescue and conservation. The park was family friendly and easy to walk through, with lots of close-up animal encounters. The reason for 4 out of 5 stars instead of 5 is that some of the animal habitats and viewing areas were not very well maintained. A few tanks had noticeable algae buildup, which made it difficult to clearly see some of the animals. Overall though, we still had a good experience and would recommend visiting if you are in the Fort Walton Beach area.

We had the best time!! We did the 4 hour tour and it was lovely. Braxton took us out and we saw…read moresand dollars, urchins, dolphins, a turtle, and even a spotted ray. It was amazing. Can't wait to come back sometime!

It was a beautiful morning! My children and I arrived a little early and Captain Lorraine was…read moreready. During our trip, she told us about the animals that live in the waters and the areas that are protected. It was a fun and educational experience.

We loved this zoo! It looks small from the outside but it really is amazing and full of a lot of…read morecool animals on the inside. I recommend buying food to feed the animals. It is not expensive but enhances the experience. I loved that they keep their prices low but that you get a top notch experience! The staff is friendly, the animals seem happy. They were very active and we were able to see them close up! Well done Emerald Coast Zoo!

This zoo has a wide variety of species from big cats to giraffe and birds. They have several…read moredifferent offerings to feed the animals at the zoo, which is extremely interactive and can be enriching for the animals. However this can cause behavioral problems for the animals as well. I did enjoy my experience and saw everyone attending responsible and respecting the animals, however it could be easy for this to not happen with the interactive element. I did more than likely go off season with less staff than normal, but I do hope there is more zoo staff that can help keep watch on the enclosures and those in attendance of the zoo. I did also enjoy the food at the zoo and the gift shop was very wonderful and extensive. I definitely would recommend this zoo, and talked to a lovely staff member who was highly educated on lions, and their husbandry process with the SSP.

Great small family oriented place for kids and adults that are new to the area. Been around…read moreTallahassee for a while and it's extremely close which is a plus.

We were looking for something to do for the day and decided to take a ride to the Tallahassee…read moreMuseum. It is more outside, so don't forget water to keep yourself hydrated. We loved the car part dinasaurs and the animals. The staff was friendly. The nature trail was a little boring and not well marked, but it didn't stop us from loving the experience.

This place is truly at the heart of what the forgotten coast is all about. This little place here…read moreon our gorgeous, forgotten coast is dedicated to so many invaluable missions when it comes to taking care of and preserving land as well as the creatures that dwell here whether they be on the land, in the sea or most comfortable in the air. It's very clear that everybody working here has such a heart and a passion for the reptiles, marine life, animals, birds, that they help in represent here in the community. This annual fundraiser for Gulf Specimen Marine Lab is such a fun way for all of us to try to drum up awareness & support for the mission here while getting to have a wonderful time playing dress up & bidding on really cool things at the silent auction. This year alone in our area they helped take care of hundreds of stunned sea turtles when the weather got well below what it typically is persistently for this area and that mission alone is more than worth heading over for a visit getting to learn about the wildlife in this area and supporting their endeavors! Not to mention the fact that there are so many, very interactive ways for both adults and kids to be entertained here while learning about our local wildlife & conservation!

We love it here, we visit every time we vacation at the beach. My kids love seeing all the sea life…read moreup close. I wish when you were walking in they gave more instructions and required parents to watch small children closely as there are many touch tanks were small children could hurt the sea life. Probably not ideal for the animals, and the touch tanks and looking tanks are set up the same so kids are tempted to dip their hands in all of the tanks. It's a cool experience but I could see why people are concerned for the sea life that call this lab home.